


Mara Goes to Temple

by Merfilly



Series: Growing Up Jedi [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-27
Updated: 2016-09-27
Packaged: 2018-08-18 03:51:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8148244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: Mara chooses to take classes at the Temple, and see if there is someone she will accept as her Master there.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note: Due to the way things worked out in "A New Order", the Temple restructured training to be somewhat like universities, with more freedom of choice for the Initiates. This may, or may not, have had something to do with a certain Senator of Naboo threatening to investigate child-rearing practices of the Jedi.

At five, Mara Jade had chosen to stay with the fierce woman with orange skin, and found a new family that numbered in the hundreds. She had seen her parents a few times since then, even knew she had a sibling now, but family was the clan on Naboo, and other parts tucked away on other worlds.

At eleven, nearly twelve, Mara was being given the chance to choose yet again. She knew that the clan would always be there for her, but it made sense to at least entertain options. 

"Can I take some of the Initiate level classes at the Temple when the term starts, and see if any of the Knights and I have a rapport?" she asked. Ahsoka hugged her tightly.

"That's just what I was going to suggest, and if no one does… I'll formally apprentice you after the term."

Mara smiled. "It's a good thing you and I know how to argue without it getting out of hand, then."

Ahsoka laughed at that, nodding. "One thing everyone in the clan knows how to do is to fight and forgive," she agreed.

+++

Mara was surprised when she found herself falling into Temple life pretty easily. The structure was more open than living with a legion of former soldiers, but had a framework she could work with. Luke, true to his nature, had introduced her to everyone. She wasn't even the only new student for the term as several potential padawans were coming from their Jedi enclaves to broaden their education or chance for a master.

Classes were interesting. She had Knight Ashla, a Togruta, furthering her lightsaber studies. Master Fisto was actively back in the Temple teaching shielding and telekinesis techniques, so she had managed to get in both of those classes. Searching for a fourth class had resulted in slipping into a class taught by a Mirialan, though she wouldn't have known it at first because the tattoos she knew on most of those people were missing. A closer look as the Knight passed her said the woman had once had them but removed them at some point.

She decided she liked the way this woman was quick and straight to the point in how she handled the basic introductions of Force Healing, and stayed when the class let out to officially ask to remain in it. She stood from the chair she had taken at the back of the room and walked forward, causing the woman to look at her in … not curiosity, but awareness of her surroundings.

"Knight Offee? My name is Mara Jade Tano," she began, catching the moment the woman's eyes widened, feeling the Force flicker in surprise, and the shifting to a more ramrod straight position in her chair. "I haven't had much training in using the Force to heal in my enclave, and I would like to take this course. I do apologize for waiting so long to choose my final class; there's so much to learn here that neither of the full Jedi in my enclave teach."

The Knight looked at the girl for a long, steady moment, unblinking in her appraisal of the child. Then she did speak. "Initiate Tano, is it?" At the nod, she continued. "Naboo?"

"Yes, Knight Offee." She did not roll her eyes at realizing this Knight must know her mother. One thing she didn't quite like about being in the Temple was the idea of coping with the more traditional masters who saw her mother as a catalyst for the changes that had happened in the last decade and more to the Order. Which side did this Mirialan fall on?

"Initiate Tano, I do believe having you in my class will be interesting. I accept you as a student." With that said, the Knight looked back at the work on her desk, and Mara accepted the dismissal, going to find Luke for a meal, if he was available.

+++

After her day of teaching students and then aiding in the hall of healing, Barriss retreated to the solitude of her own room. She had never held many friends in the Order, striving instead to be a proper Jedi. That had not improved in her time since being accepted back, Temple-Bound unless accompanied by a Master. Her former Master had been one sponsor to her rehabilitation after the Sith Lord was revealed and chased out of the Republic.

The very person who had nearly paid for Barriss's plotting had been the other, at a time when Ahsoka Tano's insights had been held in both suspicion and high consideration. It had never been meant to be her! Barriss still remembered the initial flare of pain when they had blamed Ahsoka instead of that damnable Master of hers. She had gone through with the plan, willing to sacrifice her only true friend, with bitter regrets.

Yet Ahsoka had gone to the Council for her and one other, reminding them all that if a Jedi was meant to embody compassion, then they had to accept the idea of forgiveness and healing. While Ahsoka's duties had not allowed her to be involved in the long sessions of therapy Barriss had experienced, she had come by once, carving the time out of a mission.

_"I can almost understand how you got to where you were. I was very hurt, almost more by what happened between us than by the Council turning their backs on me. But people can be wrong and make mistakes, then come back from them. I forgive you, Barriss, and I truly wish you well in becoming a Jedi that does meet your ideas of what we should be."_

They had hugged, and then Ahsoka had left. Barriss had glimpsed her once or twice when the woman was on Senatorial escort duty, but they hadn't actually spoken since then. 

Now, the daughter of her friend was to be one of her students. The red-haired human girl had felt open and curious, had chosen a healing class despite being raised by soldiers. 

Perhaps, if she could guide the girl well, Barriss would at last be able to forgive herself. 

Either way, she would do all she could for the child of her friend.


End file.
